


The Alchemist's Daughter

by ifiOnlyhadmorePaper



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Celebrity, F/F, F/M, Fame, Fluff, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-29
Updated: 2019-01-29
Packaged: 2019-10-18 17:52:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17585534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ifiOnlyhadmorePaper/pseuds/ifiOnlyhadmorePaper
Summary: Happy birthday to not_so_average_fangirl! You're one of my faves and I hope this birthday was a good one! Wish you many more to come :)





	The Alchemist's Daughter

**Author's Note:**

  * For [not_so_average_fangirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/not_so_average_fangirl/gifts).



> Celebrity AU

* * *

 

      “Do you have any idea of what you just did?” Kinsey exclaimed, standing across the room, near the window. A silence took over the moment, and Reed stood there, totally still. The grandfather clock in the corner chimed, signaling midnight, and then Kinsey hastily yanked her coat from where it hung, and crossed to her side of the room in four big strides. “You shouldn't have lumped chemistry and human nature together.”

     “Cut!” Beca broke character, with a long sigh, and rubbed the back of her neck.

     “Thank God.” She mumbled, stepping off set.

     “That was really great you two, we're done for the day, so go home, rest up, and be ready for tomorrow.” John waved them off with a smile, and Beca forced herself to return it. She agreed to be an extra for one movie years ago, and now her face was plastered on billboards and her name was brought up constantly during the Oscars. As glamorous as it may be, it wasn't exactly fulfilling.

     “Hey, Becaw, let's go get lunch?” She stopped and turned to Jesse with a tight lipped smile, not having the patience to scold him for the idiotic nickname. “My treat?” Her costar was the most puppy-like human being she'd ever met, even more so when they were supposed to pretend to be together to promote their movie: The Alchemist's Daughter. She hated publicity, but it was Hollywood, and life is supposed to imitate art one way or another.

    “Sure, sure, I'll, um, I'll meet you out there.” He threw a fist in the air and she scurried to her dressing room, getting out of sight as fast as possible. She undressed, and slipped back into her street clothes, feeling the need to leave immediately. She pulled up her phone and called the first number she could think of.

    “Hello?”

    “Aubrey, I need you to come and get me, like, A.S.A.P., I'm gonna be at Karbs across from Novo, window seat, pretty please? Thanks, I love you, bye.” She hung up before Aubrey could actually respond, and frantically shoved her sunglasses up her nose, as she bustled out of the nearest exit before Jesse could spot her.

 

*

 

   She tugged on the sleeves of her powder blue jacket, and stared out the window of the little sandwich shop. She'd been there for thirty minutes, and Aubrey hadn't shown up yet. Of course, Beca understood, the woman lived a long way from the studio, and with traffic, it would take her long to arrive.

   Still, Beca sulked in the corner, waiting on her savior. “Oh my God…” she snapped her head up to find a gorgeous redhead before her, with cerulean pools wide in awe. Beca was almost confused as to why she was staring, but then it struck her; the painfully obvious fact that she was famous flew over her head once again.

   “Hi, I totally don't mean to interrupt you, Ms. Mitchell, but I was supposed to meet someone here? Um, they said they would be in the window seat and-” she stopped and lowered her gaze to the ground, with an embarrassed, red tint on her face. “I actually don't know why I'm explaining this to you, I'm sure you have better things to do…” she cleared her throat and smiled shyly at her.

   She began to back away, and Beca instinctively reached out, wrapping her small fingers around her wrist. The touch of her skin made the molecules in the Beca's hand sing with ecstasy, she'd never felt such a strong pulse of feeling by something so simple before. It enticed Beca to keep talking to her.

   She smiled, knowing the drill: “Smile wide and show 'em that southern hospitality!”. She wasn't even born in the south. She's from Seattle.

   “It's okay, no worries, can I help you find them? Maybe I saw them walk in or something.” she offered kindly. Normally she would only take pictures or sign things if she were asked, but this case seemed different. This _girl_ seemed different.

   “You wanna help me?” The redhead was getting even more and more endearing by the second, and Beca wouldn't turn away the voice in her head telling her to keep her there.

   “Yeah, is that so surprising?” She mused with a playfully arched eyebrow. The girl flushed again and began to stammer out apologies.

   “That's totally not what I meant, I didn't mean to come off so asshole-ish-”

   “I'm only kidding, it's fine. Sit.” She gestured to the armchair across from her. The girl precariously perched herself on the edge of the cushion, trying to still her bouncing knee. “What's your name?”

   “Chloe.”

   “Chloe what?” Beca asked, plucking her matcha from the table in between them.

   “Chloe Beale.” She smiled and stuck her hand out, meeting Chloe's in the middle. The electricity passed through their joined hands again.

   “Nice to meet you, Chloe Beale, I'm Beca Mitchell.” She stated, with a smirk, knowing that Chloe knew who she was already. “So,” she sat back and sipped her beverage, letting her eyes discreetly go over her through her sunglasses. “Who are you meeting?”

   “Well,” Chloe prompted, folding her hands in her lap. “I don't really know...” Beca raised her eyebrows, leaning forward to hear the story better. Or just for an excuse to look deeper into her sky blue eyes without seeming creepy.

   “Oh, blind date?” She asked politely, with a secret reluctance to know the answer. This girl was gorgeous, she obviously wasn't single.

   “Um, not exactly?” She scrunched up her nose in an adorable fashion. Her voice raised toward the end of her sentence, drawing Beca into the story. Aubrey wasn't going to show up soon anyway. “See, I was just at home when I got this call from someone, I guess they needed to be picked up?” Beca's hairs stood up on the back of her neck and she remained completely still. _Could it be?_

   “I mean, it sounded genuine enough, so, here I am.” Chloe finished. Beca stayed silent for a moment, mentally retracing her steps. Chloe sighed heavily, letting her shoulders slump forward. “You probably think I'm crazy now, right?”

   “No,” Beca shook her head vehemently. “Not at all, actually, this, um, this might sound crazier.” Chloe's face screwed up in confusion, and Beca anxiously pulled out her phone, and called the last number in her recents. Then, a loud ringtone rang out from across the table, and Chloe's face was white with shock. She pulled her phone from the back pocket of her jeans and picked up. Beca just listened to the same noises she was hearing in the shop.

   “ _You_ called me?” She asked, incredulously, as Beca ended the call.

   “I don't know, I guess!” She exclaimed, with a disbelieving laugh.

   “Oh my God…”

   “I know.” She shook her head at her first. Were it not for Chloe, Beca would have sat in the sandwich shop longer than necessary, thinking that Aubrey was on her way. “Well…”

   “This is a first.” Chloe said, breathlessly.

   “Yeah, you and me both.” Beca murmured.

   “Am I getting Punk’d right now?” Chloe asked with amusement in her voice. Beca laughed and took off her sunglasses.

   “You know that show has been over since twenty-fifteen?” she teased, seeing Chloe's smile reach her eyes. “I'm just as surprised as you are.” Chloe sat back and smiled softly at Beca. It was the coincidence of a lifetime, but life is supposed to imitate art, one way or another.

 

///

 

   “Just one more, Beca.” Aubrey tilted her head up by her chin, expertly applying Beca's red lipstick.

   “Feels like the millionth one already.” Beca grumbled. She could be anywhere, except doing a talk show circuit with a lovesick puppy and pesky-prodding paparazzis photographing every hug and hand hold. She could be sitting on Chloe's couch, watching trashy reality shows, and eating junk food she wasn't supposed to eat. It was nice to have a friend who wasn't involved with all behind the scenes nonsense.

   “You're gonna do fine, just play nice.” Aubrey's eyes wandered over to Jesse, who was sitting across from them, chatting away with a crew member. Beca smirked and rolled her eyes.

   “Mitchell, Swanson, you’re on in five.” She groaned and stood from her chair, dragging her feet as she walked.

   “I get paid too much for this.” she muttered, walking to the side of the stage, with the makeup team swarming her like gnats.

   “You ready, Becaw?” Jesse stood behind her, rubbing his hands together. She gave him a strained smile before turning forward, taking her first few steps as the stage manager counted down from five.

   “Ladies and Gentlemen, Miss Beca Mitchell, and Jesse Swanson.” applause thundered from the live audience, and Beca smiled wide and awkwardly waved at them. She took the seat closest to the desk, and Jesse sat beside her, instantly laying his arm over the back of her chair.

   “How are you guys tonight?” Seth asked coyly. Funny, Beca was worried people weren't buying the fake dating.

   “We're good, we're good, what about you, Seth?” Beca asked, good naturedly. She wonders if Chloe was watching the show right now.

   “I'm great! Thank you for asking, it's so good to have you back, we _have_ to stop meeting like this!” She laughed and patted his hand in the desk.

   “I know!”

   “So, you two have been doing a lot of filming together, spending a lot of time on set together, and _a lot_ of something else together, I presume.” Somebody in the audience let out a loud wolf whistle, and Jesse just winked and laughed at the camera. “How has that been going?”

   “The filming or something else?” Jesse asked.

   “Either or, I mean, we're just _dying_ to know.” Beca chuckled nervously, and coughed, interrupting the moment.

   “So, the filming is fun,” she said, earning boisterous hollars and laughs from the audience. She really hoped Chloe didn't watch that part.

 

///

 

   “Um, quick question, um…” She swallowed her spit and peeled her shoes off. “Did… did you want to get dinner...  with me?” Beca asked Chloe as she pulled a makeup wipe out of it's package. She nervously waited through four beats of silence.

   “Um…” Chloe sounded unsure and shy. Beca didn't like that.

   “Chlo,” she wiped away a whole eyelid of eye shadow and frowned, even though Chloe couldn't see her. “What's up?”

   “Nothing, nothing, why?” She wasn't convincing. Beca literally _convinces_ people for a living, it was easy to tell what was what.

   “You're being weird.”

   “I'm not being weird, you're being weird.”

   “See what I mean?” She sighed and pulled out another makeup wipe. “You're being weird, now spill.”

   “Well,” Chloe clicked her tongue, and Beca ceased all movements as if to hear her better. “It's just…” she waited through another painfully long pause. “Is it like… a date?” her heart fluttered with hope and she continued her makeup removal process.

   “If you want it to be, I mean…” she said flippantly, acting like it wasn't as if someone gave her a kitten with a large pizza.

   “I would,” a smile spread quickly across her face. “But,” it fell and was replaced with worry immediately. “You're dating Jesse Swanson, aren't you? I mean, I'd love to but it's just... wrong.” Beca smiled again, while trying to suppress the laughter that was dying to get out.

   “Chloe, honey, me and Jesse are just doing our jobs, and playing our roles.” she said vaguely, hoping Chloe would catch her drift.

   “So… you're faking it?”

   “Yes.”

   “Oh thank God, I was about to be really sad for having to turn down that date.” Beca laughed and sauntered over to her bed and threw herself back on the plush memory foam.

   “So, is that a yes?” She implored. Chloe hummed like she didn't know the answer.

   “I'd have to check my schedule…”

   “I'm hanging up now.” Beca pouted.

   “Wait, wait, yes!” Chloe laughed, making Beca glad she wasn't there to see her blush uncomfortably. “I'd love to.”

 

///

 

   “‘Jesse Swanson, Beca Mitchell, and Friend at Downtown LA Five Star Restaurant: Who is that redhead?’” Stacie slapped the magazine down on the front of her treadmill. “Who, pray tell, _is_ the redhead?” Stacie inquired, grabbing Beca's water bottle and taking a swig.

  “Chloe.” Stacie gasped, and smiled cheerily.

  “You totally answered my question, thanks for the deets, _so_ descriptive, B.” Beca rolled her eyes and wiped the back of her neck with a towel and threw it at her.

  “Stop being nosy, you're distracting me.” Stacie clicked her tongue and leaned against the treadmill, peering up at Beca with a teasing stare.

  “Why are you so mean?”

  “I don't know,” Beca sighed. “Must be my factory setting.” She kept running, feeling the sting in her legs, and burning in her lungs. “Can I stop running? I think I'm dying.” Stacie exhaled loudly and dismissively waved her hand in Beca's direction.

  “Sure, but get on the mat, we're doing some stretches before we call it.” Beca gradually slowed down the treadmill, and stepped off, plopping down onto a yoga mat. “But seriously, Beca, who is that?”

  “Just a friend.” She panted, leaning over her left leg to stretch her hamstring.

  “Me and Bree are your friends.”

  “Okay, first of all, rude.” Stacie stuck her tongue out at her. “And I have friends, okay? The world doesn't revolve around you two, just the other day I talked to Cynthia Rose, so.”

  “Okay, so, you have CR too,” Stacie deadpanned. “But that's besides the point.”

  “What was the point again?” Stacie glared at her and Beca rolled her shoulders back. “She's this… amazing girl, I met her on accident, but she's just…” Beca smiled wistfully, forgetting the sting in her muscles. “She's funny, and she's smart, so smart, she's going to vet school, and she's graduating in May…” Beca replayed the events of the last three weeks in her mind, and all she saw was Chloe's smile.

  “Go on.” She looked at Stacie, with softer eyes and a small smile.

  “I like her, Stace, she's just… her.”

  “What about Gail and the movie?” Stacie asked quietly. Beca let a dejected expression take over her face and she resumed her stretching.

  “I don't know.”

 

///

 

  Beca stood with her arm looped in Chloe's, with Jesse standing in front of them, buying the tickets. “Hi, I'll have three for the train.”

  “That'll be twenty dollars and seventy-nine cents.” Jesse paid the man, and Beca just stared at Chloe, admiring the way she looked with the sun shining on her, illuminating her already bright eyes, bringing the faintest of freckles into view.

  “What?” Chloe asked curiously, with a gentle smile gracing her lips.

  “You're just beautiful.” Beca whispered, with a secret wink only visible from where Chloe was standing. It was impossible to hold back a question she'd been wanting to ask for a solid month. But it wasn't the right moment.

   “You gals ready?” Jesse wriggled his eyebrows and Beca rolled her eyes, reluctantly taking his hand, feeling Chloe's hard stare on their joined hands. She hated that most outings had to proceed this way, with a boy scout wedged between them, like a door stop to leave room for Jesus.

   They piled into the little train that would ride through the Botanical gardens and Zoo. Beca sat sandwiched between Chloe and Jesse, with her hand secretly intertwined with Chloe's under her purse. She felt the words dying to get out on the tip of her tongue, begging to be let out into the air, with Chloe sitting next to her looking as beautiful as ever, she was glad it was a slow day, they were the only ones on the train.

   “Beca,” Chloe hummed in a sing song tone. “Why are you staring at me?” Beca chuckled and her eyes sparked when she saw the upcoming tunnel.

   “I just like to look at you.” she watched Chloe's eyes travel to Jesse, who like always, had his arms resting behind Beca. He was completely oblivious to their mushiness. Beca squeezed Chloe's hand once, to remind her to be there with her.

   When tunnel came up, Beca wasted no time bringing their lips together in a sweet kiss that tasted like Dippin’ Dots and salt water taffy. Beca let herself forget about Jesse, and the movie, and Gail, and the fact that this tunnel kiss was going to have to end soon, and she was just there with Chloe.

   The tunnel ended at the same time their kiss did, leaving Chloe with a dazed and dopey look on her face. “What-”

   “Be my girlfriend?” Beca blurted. Chloe's eyes doubled in size and her mouth hung open, slightly.

   “What?”

   “Will you be my girlfriend, Chloe?”

   “Yes.”

 

///

 

   The harsh crack of Beca's hand against Jesse's face resounded through the shared makeup trailer. He rubbed the red spot on his cheek, guiltily, looking at his reflection and then back to Beca. “Keep your hands to yourself while we’re off camera.” She said coldly, pulling her explosion back in as the makeup team came into the trailer.

   “You guys about ready?”

   “Yeah, just give me a minute, Jess.” Beca winked at the woman, and glared at Jesse on her way to her trailer. There she found Chloe waiting for her on the couch. She didn't expect it, but the floodgates opened, and she collapsed onto Chloe's lap.

   “Oh, Beca, what happened, honey?” Beca sobbed into her neck, trying to focus on the soft caresses and kisses on her forehead, instead of the fake kiss in front of the crew during a quick run through of today's lines.

   “I'm so sick of pretending, Chloe, I don't want to pretend anymore.” She felt Chloe's arm squeeze tighter, as her right hand came around to cradle the back of her head.

   “Beca, I know you don't like it, and I don't either, but it's only gonna be like this for a little while.”

   “What if I don't want that? What if I want it now?”

   “Rome wasn't built in a day, babe. You have to consider everything you have here, you don't want to risk that because of me.”

   “No, I do want that, Chloe.” Beca sat up, cupping Chloe's face in her hands with tears still rushing out of her eyes. “I want to be with you, I don't want to consider anybody else anymore, I'm so sick of it, I just want you.” She let her lips brush Chloe's, listening to the way her breath hitched, and the way her hips rolled up so slightly. "I want you."

   She sat there, kissing her girlfriend like she wanted to, without any prying eyes asking her for details. She didn't want to know what was good for her, if it felt as amazing when Chloe was with her, then reputation be damned.

 

///

 

  “Do you even still love me?” The thick voice behind her asked. She kept her cold stare on the tree across the park, feeling immense guilt inside of her. She inhaled silently, and she let a single tear roll down the apple of her cheek.

  “Do you want the truth?” She turned around to face Dean, seeing the dark circles under his eyes and his rumpled clothes. He sucked in a breath and his shoulders tensed, and he nodded. “I don't think I ever did.” She continued to stare at him, knowing well that it was her doing.

  “Tell me you're lying.”

  “I'm not.”

  “Please…” he pleaded. “Just once.” she took three steps to him, letting her lips hover over his for a moment. “Kiss me, lie to me, I don't care.” He searched her eyes and drew his face closer. “Just let me have this.” He whispered. Reed nodded once softly, and pressed her lips to his. It wasn't chemistry, or human nature. It was just an imitation of something unreachable and invisible to the naked eye.

  “That's a wrap!” Everyone clapped, and Beca separated quickly from Jesse, finding Chloe's eyes in the crowd, clapping wildly and whooping as loud as she could. Chloe ran to her, launching herself into her arms, almost knocking them both over.

  “I'm so proud of you, Bec.” She felt Chloe press a small kiss to her neck and she wrapped her arms around her tighter, before tapping her hip with her fingers, signaling her to let go.

  “Thanks, baby.”

 

///

 

  “So, you portray Reed Morissette in your newest film, The Alchemist's Daughter, what can you tell me about the role?”

  “Well, really, I can identify with the role a lot. See, Reed is the type of girl who's very cynical and very stoic, but as soon as someone pokes a hole in the armor, the only way to patch it is to prove them wrong.” her interviewer nodded and leaned forward.

  “And how does this _anti_ -love interest come into play and contrast with your character?”

  “Well,” Beca said, trying to remember what it was like filming the movie, but she could only think of hers and Chloe's past week in bed. The thought made her flush, but with all the makeup on her face, it'd be hard to tell she was blushing. She knew that as Chloe watched her from the green room, she knew exactly what was happening. Beca cleared her throat and smiled.

  “Reed is just a very guarded character, so when she decides to make her unsuspecting victim fall in love with her, she just didn't expect to fall in love with them back.”

  “I see, so it adds to the complexity of her character changes.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Well, we all look forward to seeing it in theatres on September twenty-second.” the camera cut off and she marched right past her costars and into her dressing room.

  “Hey, babe.” she plopped down in Chloe's lap and greeted her with a deep kiss. She sighed into her mouth before letting go of her lips with a pop, resting her forehead against hers, thanking the universe for smudge proof lipstick.

  “Hi.” Chloe hummed and nipped at her lip one extra time.

  “Still thinking about last week, are we?”

  “You have no idea,” She mumbled against her lips, rolling her hips into Chloe again. “How much,” she kissed her again, shamelessly riling her up, even though she needed to be back out to make an appearance with Jesse and Calamity for the group interview. “I want you right now.”

  “Bec.” Chloe gasped, letting her head fall back, giving Beca full access to her neck. Then a knock on the door interrupted them.

  “Ms. Mitchell, they're ready for you.”

  “Be right there.” She called back in such a normal tone. Being an actress has its perks. “We'll pick up later.” She winked and stepped off of Chloe's lap.

  “We better.” Beca took another minute to appreciate her. She loved the way her lips were pink and swollen from their kiss, and how breathless she always was after they kissed. Maybe she just loved Chloe.

 

///

 

  Beca rubbed her temples and clenched her eyes shut as Gail scolded her. “You can't just cancel dates, Beca! I know you're getting up there in the industry, but you still can't just do whatever you want!”

  “Maybe I wouldn't have to if you just let me be who I am.” she sighed and stood right in front of Gail. “Things are changing, Gail. I'm gonna be fine, either way, I don't want to do this anymore.” Gail let her tense shoulders fall slightly, and she sighed at Beca with worried eyes.

  “If I do that, it could ruin you, Beca.”

  “I know.” Gail stared at her, trying to find something.

  “You really like her don't you?”

  “Yeah, I do...” Beca nervously rolled her lips together, hoping to get her on board. “I love her.” Gail exhaled loudly and clicked her tongue.

  “Yeah, I thought so.” she waited for another response, but Gail just picked up her things and started heading for the door. Beca hastened after her, worried that the conversation still changed nothing. Then, Gail turned to her with honest eyes and a knowing smile. “I'll start taking care of it.”

  “Thank you so much-”

  “Just make sure that girl knows I'll be visiting her very soon.” Beca bit her lip, holding back a smile.

  “Okay.”

 

///

 

  “The critics are raving about The Alchemist's Daughter, but the media are more concerned with our main characters, and _ex-_ lovers, Beca Mitchell and Jesse Swanson-” Beca snatched the remote and settled at Chloe's side.

  “Why on Earth are you watching this stuff?”

  “Because I'm still gloating.” Beca arched an eyebrow, resting her chin on her girlfriends shoulder.

  “Are you now?”

  “Yep! I got the kindest, sweetest, smartest, _sexiest,_ ” Chloe paused to accentuate her point. “Girl I could ever ask for, who I love and-”

  “You love me?” Beca asked with a gleeful smile. Chloe stopped, the panic flashed over her face for a brief moment and she smiled back.

  “Yeah, I do.” Beca pushed her back by her shoulders and straddled her.

  “Good, because I love you too, Chloe Beale.” as long as she was with Chloe, she didn't mind this little imitation game one bit.

* * *

 


End file.
